Crystal River current., 1887-07-16
SHARP FOUND GUILTY.
1t Takes a New York Jury Just
Thirteen Minutes to Convict
the Boodler


the Boodler.
NEW YORK, June 29.-The thirty
fourth and last day of the Sharp trial
dawned bright and clear. The aged de-
PENDANT shuffied into court through one
door as Judge Barrett came in at another.
He appeared much more feeble than usual.
walking with great difficulty to his place.
A delay of ten minutes was occasiOned at
the request of Mr.. Stickney before he COM
menced to sum up,and when Mr.. Stickney's
address ended ap adjournment until 2p.
m. was had.
After the recess Colonel Fellows for the
State addressed the jury, reviewing the
| case and the evidence at great length. At
ter he closed Judge Barrett proceeded to
charge the jury.
He began by saying that this was the first
| time in the history of our Jurisprudence
| when man had been made to face the
| charge of giving brides. Both to give and
| receive brides were crimes. The Court
| read the law on bribery and went on to say
that the only direct evidence that money
had been given was that one Delacey had
given money. 1t is not necessary that the
person charged should give the money with
and all who are proven to be connected
near to, or far away from the fountain
head, are guilty. If Delacey received
the money from Richmond, and Rich
mond again from Sharpe, then Sharpe is
guilty. If Sharpe had guilty knowledge and
aided or abetted in any way, then he is
guilty. Judge Barrett believed it had been
clearly shown that Fulgraff was briber.
If the jury believed that Delacey bribed
him with $4,000 then the jury must ask
who bribed Delacey. Any person who
was behind Delacey in the matter was as
guilty.
The Judge reviewed the contributory ev-
idence of Sharp's lobby work at Albany to
get the Railroad bill passed, and having
succeeded, at once SET to work to get the
Broadway franchise.
The Court added: "His anxiety caused
him to do anything to Illustrate his oppo-
nents in obtaining the benefits of his efforts;
this was Sharp's motive. He had spent a
lifetime in the hope of material reward, and
was ready to do anything to obtain that re-
ward. This was matter of life and death
| to the Seventh-avenue road, and as direct
or he had the motive, while he was to OBJ
tain personal reward in bonds which were
to be guaranteed.
The Judge then took up the story of the
issuance of 900 worth of bonds and the
disposition of the money which had been
fully recounted in past evidence. He told
the Jury that if they had the evil
dence and believed that Kerr and
Toshay used this as cor
ruption fund without the knowledge of
Sharp, then they should acquit Sharp.
There is abundant evidence that there
were falsified entries by Sharp himself.
The Jury must determine whether Sharp
had any connection with fixing" the Al
dermen or whether his use of that express
sion was an innocent one. The Judge fur
Their instructed the jury that they must not
be influenced by the prisoners age or in
trinity nor by the fact that lie did not take
the stand in his own Defense:
The jury then retired and after an alb
sence of thirteen minutes they returned
with verdict of guilty, W til recommen-
dation to mercy.
The aged prisoners head dropped and he
was removed to Jail. Sentence will be
passed July ID. The penalty is not more
than ten years at hard labor and fine of
IS, 600, or both. A new trial will be asked.
The verdict was reached on the first bal
lot AS Sharp stepped to the walk on his ar
rival at the jail he said: Boys, now it's
all over, I'll tell you that 1 never gave one
penny to Alderman Fnllgraf or any other
alderman and had no hand in bribing the
aldermen" With this the old man seemed
to break down.